Humanities 2223, CRN 16141 Professor Trudy McNair
Fall Term 2008 (200910)
Campus: Winter Park Office Hours: to be announced.
1:00 p.m.-3:45 p.m. F Email:
Room 143, Office 249 Telephone: 407-582-6873
HUMANITIES – LATE ROMAN/MEDIEVAL SYLLABUS
TEXT: Gloria Fiero, The Humanistic Tradition, Volume II;
Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales; Dante’s The Divine Comedy.
PREREQUISITE: ENC 1101 or ENC 1101H or IDH 1110.
COURSE
DESCRIPTION: An integrated examination of dominant ideas in Western culture
expressed in art, literature, music, philosophy, and religion. Covers
period from Late Roman Empire through Middle Ages, emphasizing
development and historical influence of Christianity. Gordon Rule
course in which the student is required to demonstrate college-level
writing skills through multiple writing assignments. Minimum grade
of C required if used to satisfy Gordon Rule requirement.
COURSE
OBJECTIVES: To give the student the opportunity to study the thought and artistic
expressions of primarily Western civilization, which are the foundation
of our Western heritage and culture; and to give the student experience
in analytical thought and the expression of it in writing.
VALENCIA CORE
COMPETENCIES: This course will wholly or partially reinforce the following competencies:
1) THINK – Students will think more clearly, critically, and creatively, and
will draw well-supported conclusions.
2) COMMUNICATE - Students will communicate more effectively
through speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
3) VALUE – Students will evaluate and articulate their own and others’
values from an individual, cultural, and global perspective.
4) ACT – Students will act purposely, reflectively, and responsibly;
Students will also apply interdisciplinary knowledge, skills, and values to
educational and career goals.
COMMUNICATION
COMPETENCIES: 1) Reading skills – Students will recognize main ideas and distinguish
between fact and opinion.
2) Essay skills – Students will write a coherent paper with a main
thesis or idea.
3) English language skills – Students will organize and express ideas
through appropriate forms of written and spoken language.
Honors courses will also emphasize: connections of learning across academic disciplines;
demonstrating knowledge in a variety of ways; study and evaluation of primary
sources; and encouraging students to become independent learners.
COURSE
REQUIREMENTS: Students will be required to write one reflection/opinion paper (approximately 1,500 words) and one research paper (approximately 1,500 words). Topics for these papers will be discussed in class.
Students will also be required to take two exams and a final exam.
The exams are not cumulative.
Each of the two exams will count 15 percent of the student’s grade for a total
of 30 percent, and the final will be 20 percent. The reflection/opinion paper
will count 25 percent of the student’s grade, and the research paper will count
25 percent of the student’s grade for a total of 50 percent.
The grading scale is as follows: 90-100 is an A; 80-89 is a B; 70-79 is a C;
60-69 is a D; and below 60 is an F.
ATTENDANCE: Attendance will be taken at all class meetings. It is very important that
students attend class as exams will be based on class lectures and discussion.
If a student’s unexcused absences become excessive, the student may
be withdrawn from the class without warning at the instructor’s discretion.
However, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to withdraw if the student
is unable to complete from the class.
MAKE-UP
POLICY Make-up exams will be given in the Testing Center of the Library
at the Winter Park Campus.
Please do not come to class if you are ill, but late exams will need to be
excused by the date of the exams or shortly thereafter.
Unexcused late exams and late papers will be lowered several points for
each class period that they are overdue. If a student does not show up for the
final exam, the student will receive a W/F for the class.
Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must
provide a letter from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and
discuss specific needs with the professor, preferably during the first two
weeks of class. The Office for Students with Disabilities determines
accommodations based on appropriate documentation of disabilities
(Winter Park Campus, Room 203, 407 582-6887).
ACADEMIC
HONESTY: According to Valencia policy, all forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism, cheating,
furnishing false information, forgery, alteration or misuse of documents,
misconduct during a testing situation, and misuse of identification with
intent to defraud or deceive.
All work submitted by students is expected to be the result of the students’
individual thoughts, research, and self-expression. Whenever a student uses
ideas, wording, or organization from another source, the source shall be
appropriately acknowledged.
Any student determined by the professor to have been guilty of engaging in an
act of academic dishonesty shall be liable to a range of academic penalties
as determined by the professor, which may include, but not be limited to,
one or more of the following: loss of credit for an assignment, examination,
or project; a reduction in the course grade; or a grade of “F” in the course.
WITHDRAWAL
DEADLINE: The withdrawal deadline for the fall session is Friday, October 31, Halloween. Students
receive a “W” or Withdrawal from the course if the student request is processed
by the deadline, which can be done via ATLAS, but do it early in the event you have
any computer-related challenges and need to come in person before the office closes.
After the specified deadline, students who process a request to withdraw will receive
either a WP (Withdraw Passing based on the last day of attendance), or WF
(Withdraw Failing based on the last day of attendance). The last day to drop is
Sunday, December 7, Pearl Harbor Day. Remember, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to withdraw from the class if necessary.
STUDENT CODE
OF CONDUCT: According to Valencia policy, activities which disrupt the classroom setting and
which are in violation of the Student Code of Conduct are those which, with or
without the intent to do so, are disruptive of the essence of the educational process.
Faculty members are authorized to define, communicate, and enforce appropriate
standards of decorum in classrooms, offices, and other instructional areas under
their supervision. In the case of a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, the
faculty member may initiate personal conferences or refer the student to the
director of student services.
Activities that are inconsistent with acceptable classroom behavior include
tardiness, leaving and returning during class, and early departure unless
previously authorized. Also included are side discussions, which are
irrelevant to the subject matter of the class, which distract, or inhibit the
ability of other students to obtain the full benefit of the class.
CHILDREN ON
CAMPUS Please follow college policy relating to children on campus and make
arrangements for childcare outside of classrooms.
CAMPUS ALARMS Please make a note of the evacuation route form your classroom in
case of emergency. Interpret all audible alarms as valid and act
accordingly.
DISCLAIMER: The above information, as well as the course schedule, is subject to
written or verbal change at the discretion of the professor.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF READING ASSIGNMENTS, EXAMS AND PAPER DUE DATES:
PART I : JUDEO/CHRISTIAN/LATE ROMAN/EARLY MIDDLE AGES
August 29 Introduction to the course
Jewish History
September 5 Christian History
September 12 St. Augustine/Boethius
The Byzantine Empire
September 19 Islam
September 26 First Exam
PART II: THE CELTS, THE CAROLINGIAN AND TWELFTH-CENTURY RENAISSANCES
October 3 The Celts and King Arthur
October 10 Charlemagne
The Norman Conquest of England/The Castle
October 17 Monasticism
Romanesque and Gothic Architecture
October 24 The Rise of the University
October 31 Second Exam
PART III: THE LATER MIDDLE AGES
November 7 The Crusades
The Codes of Chivalry and Courtly Love
November 14 St. Francis of Assisi (Research Paper due)
The Hundred Years War
November 21 The Bubonic Plague
The Great Schism
(Reflection Paper due)
November 26-27 Thanksgiving Holiday
December 5 Dante, Chaucer, Christine de Pisan
December 12 Final Exam 1:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.